Made It!

It was Sunday morning at about 6.30am. Mr and Mrs Noah were just waking up. They had been very busy lately, so it was lovely to lie there quietly, listening to the birds singing and the gentle waves of the sea breaking over the rocks on the shore.

Mr Noah opened one eye, and saw the sun peeping around the curtains. Mmm, another sunny day – lovely! Then, he listened again, because he thought he heard something else too. He leaned across to Mrs Noah and whispered, “Can you hear voices?”

“Mmm!” she groaned, and tried to go back to sleep!

“Listen!” Mr Noah said.

“Mmm!” she groaned, louder this time, and pulled the duvet further over her head.

“I can hear voices in the lounge! Listen, Mrs Noah!”

So, Mrs Noah came out from under the duvet, and they both listened really intently.

“… and they said I would never get there! At least that’s what Dad kept telling me! Mum was always a lot nicer and kept encouraging me to ‘hang on in there’ and I would 'make it!'

Sometimes I think I do have to agree with Dad, though. There were times when it seemed most unlikely that I would actually ‘make it’. Like the time I chased you from the balcony straight across the garage roof, and nearly didn’t see the end! Nearly fell off it, like you did once. Did it seem like a long way down, Sid? Did it hurt?

Then, there was that time I tried to eat those ‘nippy’ things! Well, they did look delicious, and Dad is always saying how tasty snails and crickets are to eat, so how was I to know that scorpions would make my face and tongue swell up and make me poorly! That was horrible. I hope I don’t do that again!

But there have been some extra special fun times too, like when Mum takes me swimming in the sea. The first time I went swimming in the sea, it made me remember of the time when I fell into Grandad’s swimming pool. I was only ten weeks old. I didn’t know that I couldn’t run on water, or even walk on it, like I can on grass! But I came up to the top, didn’t I, and I SWAM, like a big dog!

Anyway, back to the first time I went swimming in the sea … usually, it’s just fun running in after the kelp and taking it back to Mum and Dad. But one day, they took me to a huge rock pool. Mum threw the kelp in for me but when I ran into the sea, the sky disappeared and I could see fish! It was just as well I had learnt to swim in a swimming pool when I was young and could do doggy paddle! It was a bit scary at first, but it’s great fun now!

I’ve learnt how to do carpentry with Dad, too. I often help him cut up bits of wood. Remember that time I helped him with the wooden staircase? It was such fun! Every time he sanded down the rough edges of the stairs, I finished the edges off properly for him. But he always seemed to want to do them again! I think he said they weren’t smooth enough! After a while, I got bored – he just didn’t appreciate my efforts, so I didn’t do it any more! I think he’s got bored with it too, ‘cos he doesn’t sand them any more either!

Then, of course, when we go out in the car, I am such a good help. I mean, I’m always telling the cars behind us to keep their distance! And I tell people to stop walking in front of the car, so they don’t get run over. I know Dad appreciates this, because he’s always telling me to ‘keep it up!’ Or is it ‘shut it up?!’

Dad’s always saying I should make new friends and go and play with the sharks, but I thought sharks bite?

Anyway, Sid, come on, let’s get up and have some fun, ‘cos when I went to bed last night Mum and Dad said that tomorrow is my birthday and, therefore, despite everything, … I have actually made it!

Sid, tell me, though … what is a birthday?”